This invention relates to a device for cutting cylindrical objects, and more particularly to a template for cutting pipe ends in order to provide the pipe end of a suitable contour or profile for connecting at an angle to another pipe or surface.
Pipes and pipe conduits are used in many industrial and non-industrial structures and facilities for a variety of purposes. It is often necessary to join one cylindrical component to another at a perpendicular or a non-perpendicular angle relative to one another. The angle of connection in most cases ranges from 30 to 90 degrees. Most of the metal pipes are joined by welding.
When joining pipe ends together, the pattern of intersection between the pipe ends must be marked in order to allow the components to be appropriately cut and welded to ensure a secure and firm connection. The ends of the pipe are contoured or profiled to fit very close against the surface of the other cylindrical components in a secure manner. If the pipe ends do not fit close to the adjoining surfaces, an excessive deposit of weld metal will be needed to completely enjoin, which increases the cost of fabrication, time of welding and creates a possibility of weakened joints. Considering that in many cases, the pipes of various diameters are joined together, the task is made even more difficult.
Various instruments exist for marking the pipe ends in order to allow the receiving components to be appropriately cut and welded together. Some devices use optical marking instruments, such as laser, others use rotary arms with a beam or adjusting instrument that is rotated to mark the cut line. Most of the conventional cutting and mechanical tools for measuring and adjusting the cut lines have a number of functional and mechanical limitations that require a certain degree of skill and experience from the cutter.
As an alternative to complicated mechanical devices, many builders prefer to use standard templates for joining certain size pipes at certain angles. There is a plurality of such templates, each dedicated to a particular task, specific size of the pipes, the angle of connection, as well as the place of actual orientation of the pipe components.
The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacks associated with the prior art and provision of a single universal template that can be used for marking cutting lines in a variety of situations, accommodating different type pipes and angles of connection.